The present invention relates to an efficient thermal reactor which permits obtaining complete combustion of a combustible mixture, with increased efficiency and a reduction in the emission of pollutants.
In order to improve and control the combustion of a combustible mixture in the air and to reduce, and even to eliminate the deposition of carbon that occurs in certain portions of a burner, it is known that it is possible to alter the process of combustion inside the reactor. It is known to provide reactors which include a tubular enclosure which forms the boundary between a cylindrical tubular cover, a posterior entry wall with a central opening and an anterior incurvate with a small opening in front of a deflector. In these reactors the chamber is divided by an intermediate partition, with a peripheral passage for gases, into a chamber of combustion and an exit chamber. The intermediate partition, by forming an obstacle for the combustible gases, creates turbulence which favors the mixture of elements of combustion and permits complete combustion. This usage shows that under certain conditions, these reactors cause a significant increase in the temperature of the flame, which can attain more the 1300 degrees C. at its center, and attain a temperature which will cause the resulting combustion to emit nitrous oxide, which is a dangerous pollutant of the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,249 to Inovius discloses walls that are designed to generate vortices, and may be lined with a catalyst to cause oxidation of carbon and carbon compounds, and contains an intermediate partition. This intermediate partition, as indicated above, forms an obstacle for the gases, and causes the temperatures produced by this type of burner to become extremely elevated, to a point that the process may have to be terminated due to the high temperatures generated. In addition, these elevated temperatures may facilitate the production of unwanted gaseous pollutants, including nitric oxides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,430 to Betallick provides for the catalytic combustion of fuel, but this device is of a single sheet of metal in spiral form, and does not provide for the complete combustion of the gases. U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,090 to Brashears and Longwood uses primary and secondary air inputs, and does not provide for the complete combustion of the gases. The present invention provides for complete gas combustion, with almost no noxious pollutant gases being generated.
Several other types of devices have been produced in order to achieve the conversion of carbon monoxide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,600 to Chester requires the addition of metal particles to the mixture of gases in order to cause the combustion of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. However, this is an elaborate, complicated and expensive process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,250 to Blanton and Flanders also has the drawback that it requires the introduction of particulate catalysts as well as pressurized oxygen to the burner to achieve clean combustion. The present invention is much simpler in design, and achieves clean combustion without the requirement of adding particles of metal or compressed oxygen.
Several objects and advantages of the thermal reactor of the present invention are as follows:
(A) To create a device which is much more simple and less onerous than traditional reactors, and which provides ease of manufacture and economy of construction;
(B) To create a device which is more efficient than traditional reactors, and thus provides more heat (BTU's) for less fuel, thereby decreasing the consumption of fuel and providing a more economical reactor;
(C) to provide a reactor that permits the obtaining of complete combustion of gases without emissions of polluting agents; and
(D) to provide a reactor which decreases the condensation on the heat exchange surfaces, and thereby provide greater longevity of the firebox.